ART Grand Prix’s Nikita Mazepin has claimed his maiden win in the GP3 series after leading every lap of the season-opening Barcelona feature race.
The Russian took the lead from the start as Leonardo Pulcini fell from first to fourth behind Mazepin, Anthoine Hubert, and Callum Ilott.
Mazepin was unchallenged throughout and went on to win by 3.6s for the second win of his career and first outside of Britain.
The Force India Formula 1 tester last claimed victory at the second Snetterton race of the BRDC Formula 3 category two years’ ago.
Hubert and Ilott swapped places for second for eight laps behind the Frenchman regained position with three laps of 22 remaining.
Pulcini went on to finish fourth after Dorian Boccolacci fell to fifth late on.
David Beckmann claimed sixth for his maiden points’ score above Ferrari academy driver Giuliano Alesi after both put pressure on Boccolacci.
Juan Manuel Correa is set to start the sprint event from pole after ending in eighth, with Pedro Piquet and Diego Menchaca completing the top 10.
All three capitalised on Jake Hughes falling down the order after a battle with Alessio Lorandi and appearing to lose tyre grip.
Hughes and Lorandi fought for position driving out of the right-handed Turn 1 and into the left-handed Turn 2 but the Italian went through the gravel and made contact with a kerb when recovering to the track.
The Italian just missed out on points in 11th, while Hughes held on to 13th at the chequered flag.
Simo Laaksonen made his way from a pitlane start to 15th after a fan was left in his left-hand sidepod on the formation lap.
Sauber F1 test driver Tatiana Calderon lost a number of positions before her race ended, while Niko Kari had a slow start from his grid position and retired on the opening lap.
